Hello everybody, Longtime lurker, but this is my first post. It was too complex to already be on here! Stay with me, I feel like only a true electrician could help me out here though.

Currently I have an outlet in the basement wired to a switch upstairs. The power comes from the switch, with no feed at the outlet Lets call this Outlet A. Nearby that is another outlet that is GFCI and on it's own breaker Lets call this Outlet B.

Now what I am doing is running some outlets outside at two locations Outlet C and D. The conduit and boxes are already run, but after getting everything ready to feed the wire, we decided to use the switch for the outside outlets only.

So what plan to do is feed a new wire from Outlet B to Outlet A, and cutting off the power in the switch Box. Then I want Outlet C to have one Always on Plug, and one Switched. Outlet D can be completely switched. Outlet A, the one that WAS switched, I want to be be Always on. Outlet B is just where I plan to get power from. I can not run a 3-Way wire to the Switch, so that is out of the question. I planned to just break off the Hot line and loop it through to the switch for the Switched Outlets.

I have worked out how I "think" it should work, and I have also created a "Small scale" using a lantern battery and some spare outlets. I tried everything out using that setup with a Voltmeter, and it "works" but I don't know if it is "right" or "safe." SO before I wire it up, Id love to have a second opinion. :thumbup:

I am going to try to attach a diagram, it's not great and might be a bit hard to follow. Black is Black, Red is Red and Blue is White.

Thanks in Advance!

mpoulton

06-10-2012 01:31 AM

Why not just use a GFCI receptacle for C, and feed it from A?

hammerlane

06-10-2012 06:06 AM

1 Attachment(s)

Your diagram is hard to follow as it is small and cannot distinguish colors. Also your description is difficult to understand. Dont know what you mean by no feed at outlet "A" can only assume what you mean.

Anyway Is the below diagram what you mean by:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squid7085
(Post 940140)

Currently I have an outlet in the basement wired to a switch upstairs. The power comes from the switch, with no feed at the outlet Lets call this Outlet A. Nearby that is another outlet that is GFCI and on it's own breaker Lets call this Outlet B.

AllanJ

06-10-2012 06:21 AM

Try this:

Run black and white wires from A to D. Remove both wires from receptacle A (came from the switch) and connect them to the wires going to new switched location D.

Use a GFCI receptacle at D. Connect the incoming wires from A to the line terminals of the GFCI. Run black and white wires from the load terminals of the GFCI at D over to outlet C for switch control.

Run black and white wires from B to C for the always live half.

Take an ordinary receptacle and bend off the tabs on both sides for use in box C.

Connect the wires from D to the lower pair of screws (one on each side) of the receptacle at C for the switched half. Connect the wires from B to the upper pair of screws of receptacle C for the always live half.

Feed the new black and white wires from B to A to make that receptacle always live. These wires are connected to the receptacle itself and not to the other wires passing through.

At B, connect the wires going to A and the wires going to C to the load side of the GFCI receptacle there.

It is possible you will need extension rings on the boxes at A and B to provide room for all of the wires. Although legally a GFCI receptacle counts the same two points of box fill as a switch, it would be wise to give it 4 points because it is physically larger.

This method spreads the possible load over two circuits (originally A and B) over the four receptacle locations.

westom

06-10-2012 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squid7085
(Post 940140)

I am going to try to attach a diagram, it's not great and might be a bit hard to follow.

First noticed is a neutral wire running to the switch box and then back. The switch only needs two hot wires (and the safety ground). IOW the neutral wires can be 'merged' back in the [correction] Outlet A box. Being careful to keep all 'before' GFCI neutrals (only in GFCI Outlet box B) separate from the 'after' GFCI neutrals.

Some confusion does exist. For example, it looks as if the power from outlet B (after its GFCI) has hot and neutral shorted. I suspect that is only a drawing mistake or confusion.

It appears outlet C has one switched and one unswitched receptacle. Outlet D is unswitched - if I read correctly. All outlets A, C and D will be GFCI protected by outlet B.

Not shown are the safety grounds. I assume you have that under control.

Squid7085

06-10-2012 12:01 PM

I need power, Outlet A gets power now from the switch wire, if I am to use that wire to switch other outlets but NOT A, I'd need to make it a 3-Way. Doing that is not an option as the wire runs up through finished walls. The GFCI is nearby so I thought I could just feed the power from there.

hammerlane

06-10-2012 12:18 PM

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squid7085
(Post 940360)

I need power, Outlet A gets power now from the switch wire, if I am to use that wire to switch other outlets but NOT A, I'd need to make it a 3-Way. Doing that is not an option as the wire runs up through finished walls. The GFCI is nearby so I thought I could just feed the power from there.

when you say I need to make it a 3-way do you mean you want 3-way switches installed to switch the outlets on/off from two different locations or when you say 3-way do you mean 3-conductor romex/cable